More selective than 0% of North Dakota colleges we cover.
College Scorecard, Fall 2024 entering class
Average after grants for all families receiving federal aid. Pick your income above.
Sticker price $20,468. College Scorecard.
Higher than 77% of North Dakota colleges we cover and 48% of colleges nationwide. U.S. median 54%.
Within 6 years · College Scorecard
Higher than 58% of North Dakota colleges we cover and 48% of colleges nationwide. U.S. median $53,263.
Median, 10 years after starting · College Scorecard
VCSU acceptance rate & admissions
Of 492 applicants, Valley City State University admitted 341 and 194 enrolled (IPEDS, Fall 2023 entering class). The middle half of enrolled first-year students scored 830–1070 on the SAT or 17–24 on the ACT.
IPEDS Admissions, Fall 2023 entering class
Test scores: College Scorecard, Fall 2024. Other figures: College Scorecard; IPEDS
VCSU tuition, cost & net price
What families actually pay per year, by income
Average net price after grants and scholarships for North Dakota residents who receive federal aid. Tap your income band.
College Scorecard, latest reported year (in-state, federal aid recipients)
Sticker price (before aid)
IPEDS 2023-24 cost items; total from College Scorecard
College Scorecard; Urban Institute Education Data Portal
What VCSU costs to finish, and how fast it pays back
Graduates of Valley City State University took 4.3 years on average to finish, so the yearly price adds up to the total below. Payback compares former students' earnings with what high school graduates earn in North Dakota. The figures follow your residency and income choices above.
| Family income | Net price / yr | Cost to finish | Years to pay back |
|---|---|---|---|
| $0–30k | $7,879 | $34,037 | 2.8 years |
| $30–48k | $7,787 | $33,640 | 2.8 years |
| $48–75k | $10,841 | $46,833 | 3.9 years |
| $75–110k | $12,538 | $54,164 | 4.5 years |
| $110k+ | $14,570 | $62,942 | 5.2 years |
Cost to finish = yearly price × 4.3 years, the average time graduates took (36% finished in 4 years; students who entered fall 2017, IPEDS). Years to pay back = cost to finish ÷ the earnings gain: median earnings of former students 10 years after starting ($52,725) minus $40,610 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in ND (Census ACS 2020-2024), a gain of $12,115 a year. Before taxes, loan interest and earnings given up while in school. Method
College Scorecard (net price, earnings); IPEDS Graduation Rates (time to finish); U.S. Census Bureau ACS (high school earnings). Calculated by EducationGuide.
VCSU majors, earnings & careers
Valley City State University offers 25 bachelor's majors across 10 areas. Earnings below are for this school's graduates of each major, four years after finishing.
- Science & Math · 5
- Health & Medicine · 4
- Arts & Design · 3
- Humanities & Languages · 3
- Social Sciences & Public Service · 3
- Business & Finance · 2
- Education · 2
- Communications & Media · 1
- Engineering · 1
- Technology & Computing · 1
Highest-earning majors at VCSU
| Major | Earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|
| Wildlife and Wildlands Science and Management | $69,799 | $25,500 |
| Business Administration | $58,067 | $27,000 |
| Education (Subject Teaching) | $52,500 | $26,041 |
| Education (Elementary / Secondary) | $48,841 | $26,000 |
Quick list of all 25 majors
- Allied Health (Imaging / Therapy / Tech)—
- Biology—
- Business Administration$58,067
- Chemistry—
- Communications—
- Computer and Information Sciences—
- Computer Engineering—
- Education (Elementary / Secondary)$48,841
- Education (Subject Teaching)$52,500
- English—
- Environmental Science / Conservation—
- History—
- Human Services—
- Kinesiology / Exercise Science—
- Liberal Arts / General Studies—
- Management Information Systems—
- Mathematics—
- Medical Laboratory Science—
- Music—
- Pre-Med / Pre-Health—
- Psychology—
- Social Sciences—
- Studio Art—
- Visual and Performing Arts—
- Wildlife and Wildlands Science and Management$69,799
— means too few graduates to report earnings.
College Scorecard field of study, latest release
All majors by area with earnings 1 and 4 years out, and debt →Education (Elementary / Secondary) → Elementary school teacher
Median annual wage for all workers in this job, not only new graduates. U.S. jobs projected to shrink 0.4% from 2025 to 2035.
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025; Employment Projections 2025-35
Education (Subject Teaching) → High school teacher
Median annual wage for all workers in this job, not only new graduates. U.S. jobs projected to shrink 0.2% from 2025 to 2035.
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025; Employment Projections 2025-35
Living in Valley City
2 bedrooms $1,139.
HUD Fair Market Rent, FY2027
January and July average highs. 21 inches of rain a year, 47 inches of snow.
NOAA Climate Normals 1991-2020
Highest: winter weather (relatively high).
FEMA National Risk Index, Barnes County
Campus & students
IPEDS fall enrollment; Carnegie Classification; EADA via Urban Institute
Barnes County at a glance
U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year 2024
Compare VCSU with similar schools
Similar public colleges in North Dakota by selectivity, graduation rate and size. Tap “Why?” to see where the price difference comes from.
| School | Acceptance | You'd pay | Graduation | Earnings, 10 yrs | Price gap |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Valley City State University | 99% | $11,890 | 53% | $52,725 | This school |
| Minot State University | 65% | $12,703 | 45% | $51,759 | |
| Mayville State University | — | $11,456 | 41% | $47,828 | |
| Bismarck State College | — | $10,270 | 47% | $54,277 | |
| Dickinson State University | 37% | $14,092 | 51% | $50,720 |
College Scorecard, latest reported year. “You'd pay” follows your residency and income choices above.
Why the price is different
Valley City State University would cost you $813 less per year than Minot State University, on average.
- Higher sticker price at Valley City State University, mostly from more Minot State University students living at home, which lowers its average (+$1,761).
- Valley City State University gives aided families $1,942 more in grants, on average.
| Per year, North Dakota resident | VCSU | MSU | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tuition & fees | $8,514 | $8,702 | −$188 |
| Books & supplies | $1,000 | $1,100 | −$100 |
| Housing & meals | $7,280 | $8,058 | −$778 |
| Personal & travel | $4,336 | $3,902 | +$434 |
| Living-at-home adjustment | −$662 | −$2,423 | +$1,761 |
| Sticker price | $20,468 | $19,339 | +$1,129 |
| Average grants | −$8,578 | −$6,636 | −$1,942 |
| You pay | $11,890 | $12,703 | −$813 |
“+” means VCSU costs more; “−” means it costs less. Grants are the sticker price minus the net price. Cost items: IPEDS, on-campus budget. Sticker and net price: College Scorecard, latest reported year; the adjustment reconciles the two. Net price is an average for first-time, full-time students receiving federal aid, not a quote.
Common questions about VCSU
What is the VCSU acceptance rate?
Valley City State University accepts 99% of applicants (College Scorecard). In the latest IPEDS admissions year, 341 of 492 applicants were admitted. The middle half of enrolled first-year students scored 830–1070 on the SAT or 17–24 on the ACT.
How much does Valley City State University cost per year?
The sticker price (cost of attendance) is $20,468 a year for in-state students. After grants and scholarships, students receiving federal aid pay $11,890 a year on average; families earning $0–30k pay $7,879 and families earning $110k+ pay $14,570.
How much do VCSU graduates earn?
Former Valley City State University students earn a median $52,725 ten years after starting college, compared with a U.S. median of $53,263 across the colleges we cover.
What is the VCSU graduation rate?
53% of first-time, full-time students graduate within six years, and 71% return for their second year.
How long does a VCSU degree take to pay off?
For a family earning $48–75k, finishing at Valley City State University costs about $46,833 after grants ($10,841 a year for 4.3 years, the average time graduates took). Former students earn a median $52,725 ten years after starting, $12,115 more than high school graduates in North Dakota ($40,610), so the cost is repaid in 3.9 years of that gain, before taxes and interest (EducationGuide calculation).
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Sources on this page: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard and IPEDS; U.S. Census Bureau (ACS); Bureau of Labor Statistics (OEWS, Employment Projections); Bureau of Economic Analysis; HUD; NOAA; FEMA; Urban Institute Education Data Portal (ODC-By); Wikidata. “Colleges we cover” means colleges awarding bachelor's degrees to at least 100 undergraduates. Averages are not quotes; confirm costs with the school. How we score
Data: download this school's data (JSON) · Markdown · all datasets
Cite this: “Valley City State University: cost, admissions and outcomes,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/colleges/valley-city-state-university (College Scorecard and IPEDS data).